I want to first say, I knew nothing of Julianna Pena and the way she fights except for what I saw during the elimination fights. I knew she had been armbarred by Sarah Moras. I knew she was a suck-up trying to play both sides.She will tell you that she told Ronda Rousey that she wanted to be picked by her before she knew Miesha Tate was going to be there. I hope at least that the people in the Queen’s Army are smart enough to put together that we had no contact with the coaches until after we saw both of them there when they called us in for Dana White’s epic speech that first day. She knew Miesha was a coach before she tried to convince Ronda she wanted to be picked. Another thing I like about Ronda: she’s too smart for that. She didn’t fall for it. But that’s Ronda. It spoke to me of both her and Juliana’s character from the get-go.

Training for a fight on TUF is a strange animal. You can’t really game-plan based on your opponent. It could be anyone at any time. So instead of training things in your game based on weaknesses your opponent might have, you just train your strengths. So that’s what I did. I worked a lot one on one with the coaches, and that’s kind of how it went. The rest of the team did a team practice. Whoever had a fight got to work with a coach one on one. And being the first one that got to work with the coaches in this way, I have to say, I loved working with them from the start.

The first day of practice would be a dream for many hardcore fans of WMMA: Ronda and I just rolling. I had mentioned earlier how I was worried about Ronda and I both having strong personalities. We could very well clash. And both of us being proud people, both of us probably knowing that many in the WMMA community were begging for us to fight, I had some concern about training together getting overly competitive. Maybe she would want to show me exactly who she was, which I would definitely try to not let her get away with. But, as it turns out, Ronda is as secure with herself as I am. Zero ego. We rolled, we sparred, we trained. No one-upping, no pissing contest. Training. Two of the best females in the world just training together. It was awesome. And spoke again of her character to me.

Many out there believe I shouldn’t have had to do this show. That the UFC should already have signed me. That, in some ways (and I hope my Team Rousey family understands I mean no disrespect in saying this—love you guys), I was better than all this. And in some ways, Ronda treated me as such, like a comrade and not a “student.” It was a relief. She never once made me feel like she thought she was better than me, but at the same time, getting across that she very much believes she will kick my ass when we meet in the cage one day.

I think it could go without saying, but I don’t like Julianna. Many of the girls in the elimination fights knew her and didn’t like her. I didn’t know her, so I generally gave her the benefit of the doubt. She did not win me over. She tries too hard to get people to like her, exploits herself in all the wrong ways, and too easily turns her back on her friends. I don’t know how she will come across as the season goes on, but like I said, I believe at least the Queen’s Army won’t be blinded. All the others, fuck ‘em. All that being said, one other thing about Juliana: the girl doesn’t stop. She keeps scrapping.

I think she came in too cocky too, but I also try to see her point of view. Just like Tara Larosa, her is a girl who fought in warehouses for pennies and now others are going to be making money on her hard work.

So Ronda took me out of the locker room and into the lobby of the gym. They showed a small part of our conversation, but they didn’t show the parts that were the most important to me. She said, “Shayna, this isn’t the only way to get what you want, it’s just one way. And, honestly, for you, it isn’t even the bestway.” She told me that the reason I was her No. 1 pick wasn’t just because she believed I would win, but because I was her biggest threat on the show, and it’s wise to keep me close. I looked straight at her and said, “You will see me across the cage from you.” She replied, “I know I will,” with 100 percent belief, “…..and I will beat the shit out of you.” We laughed. It was huge that as a potential rival for her belt one day, she was completely understanding. In this sport, more than any other sport, the best fighter does not always win. That’s the simple truth. And it’s why so many love this sport.

Having spent a considerable amount of time with Shayna leading up to a fight a few years ago and seeing how humble and respectful she is to everyone around her, this blog does not seem in her character.

Sounds like sour grapes. I hate when people get their ass kicked than rail against them on the internet. She was all talk about how great she was then got her ass handed to her. Generally the people that talk the most about themselves lose. Remember Melvin and Jorge Gurgel, Bobby Southworth etc.

Sometimes it's what you do after the Ultimate Fighter is over that gives you that second grab at a career in the UFC. Whether its win big in your next fight, or create a buzz with your persona from the show and ride with it. In this case I would say it would have took a change of character or ego rehabilitation to extend Shayna Bazler's image to me. After reading that blog post, it seem she may have squandered it. Some of these athletes lack the management they truly need sometimes it seems.

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